Artists Ralph Helmick and Stuart Schechter collaborated on a number of public art projects in the 1990s and early 2000s. The artists started with a portrait of humanity and created a computer composite of world racial types to create an androgynous sculpture. Modulation was commissioned for the Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting at the University of Houston and utilizes scrap broadcasting equipment to make up the giant head. The sculpture reflects our societies love and dependence on contemporary media with an aim to illustrate the unconventional beauty of our age. Hundreds of technological components are attached over a steel wire frame armature to form the “skin” of the piece. These castoff elements represent the detritus of our age. Modulation incorporates several active elements such as video monitors as the “eyes.” One eye displays the stations live television, broadcasting from the center. The other shows the volume transmission of the station’s radio programming, and a halo of functioning computer fans encircle the head. Standing directly underneath the sculpture and looking up the viewer can see a 2000 element LED map showing a night satellite image of greater Houston. On the perimeter of the piece there is a functioning oscilloscope displaying the center’s television signal. These many functions mold together to create Modulation.